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Legion donates $70,000

By SAMANTHA COSSICK, @SCossickPO

Updated:
12/29/2012 08:09:00 PM EST

Thanks to changes in the small games of chance law, the James W McCartney American Legion Post 232 will have $70,000 to donate this year.
The post will present the money to four organizations on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at their post home, 17319 Path Valley Road, said Alvin Fake, post commander.

Money will be split with $20,000 going to the Fannett-Metal education foundation and the sports section of Fannett-Metal High School. Additionally, $15,000 each will be going to the Fannett-Metal Fire Company and the Metal Township Fire Department.

"We feel as though this is the best of our purpose to donate the money to the school and the fire companies," Fake said. "We've chosen those groups because we feel as though that is the most important groups to us - the education of our kids and our local fire and ambulance."

Although they've always donated funds to the fire companies, these particular donations came directly from small games of chance programs at the legion over the past year, said Donald Culbertson, post historian and former post commander.

"It's important to use because the state has cut back on the funding for the school so we donate there," he said. "And the fire company, we always donate to them because they're a necessary part of the valley and we like to keep the money local. We also donated as the year goes to local and national charities, too."

The American Legion Post 232 is also looking into possibly donating funds to the Fannett-Metal High School music program since their band has been eliminated through funding cuts, Culbertson said.

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Although donating a portion of the funds raised through small games of chance is a requirement of the law, they hope to make these donations a continuous thing, Fake said.

"We have constantly given money to those organizations," he said. "Right now, we're having a larger amount. We're doing this because it is something that we want to do to help the school, help the fire companies and because we are required by law. Now it's easier to justify but we've always done it in the past. In the future, I imagine it will be done quarterly."

The presentation will be open to the public. The post home is located off of Pa. 75, about a mile north of the route's intersection with Pa. 641. Signs are posted along the road.